The Ring ReKindled
by deni-015
Summary: When Meryl receives a mysterious package: It's contents stir up a past she thought was put behind her, a ring that was meant to be forgotten, and a love she thought was dead.


Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun.

Announcements: This story been stuck in my head for sometime. And now I've had the pleasure to finally post it. Hope u like it. Please review, it makes me happy. Compliments, flames, and advice are welcomed. Oh, yeah, before I forget I got another story if you are a Wolf's Rain fan. You could go to my profile to check it out, it's mostly a Hige/Blue romance.

**Chapter 1**

**THE PACKAGE**

It was a hot steamy day at Gunsmoke. It usually was very hot in Gunsmoke but today was incredibility hot, that you could fry an egg on the sidewalk. Meryl stood by the stove cooking tonight's dinner. She wasn't a great cook but decent enough to not burn the food like Vash does. She was wearing a white t-shirt with shorts, a very far cry from her usual attire. But as mention before it was really sizzling today. Meryl tasted the yellow liquid and murmured something about needing more salt.

Everyone was out and she being the only one in the shabby house she was bored. She sighed once more. Wishing that someone were here to keep her company. The town was like a western movie: small and full of gossip. Currently they were the main subjects for the lively hearsay the folks around here spread.

Though she should thank the heaven above that at least they found a place. It was a shabby house, but sturdy enough to keep four occupants. All it needed was repairing, and the living room was the choice to start. It was half done, with Vash and Milly who sanded the floor, and added new layers of chestnut colored paint. Only the walls needed attention.

Meryl stirred the pot and wondered where was Vash. Eyes narrowing a fraction Meryl 'humph'. Probably teaching Knives not to hate humans. It was in her own thinking impossible to change an evil person to be good. Yet Vash insisted that it was possible, and dragged Knives out with the door swishing to a 'click'. It infuriated her, and pained her that Vash still believed his brother could be changed. When Knives killed and manipulated many humans and not an ounce of remorse.

Her thoughts traveled in the direction of 'how?' How did Knives turn to the path of evil and destruction? Her memory served her right when she remembered her and Vash's conversation a week ago. It was about his early childhood. At beginning where the most happiest memories of his childhood were stored, where Knives was sane. There was a woman, Meryl remembered, Rem, yes that was her name. The woman who taught love and joy to both Vash and Knives. The woman who showed the beauty of flowers, of human kindness, and the same woman who Vash and Knives adored enormously.

Rem to her sounded like the perfect human, which could never be possible. Every human has flaws, but Vash makes her sound like she never had a flaw within any fiber in her body. He talks with such certainty that Rem never ever made a mistake, and it just irks Meryl to no end.

/Or maybe you just envy Rem/

Meryl whipped around, finding no one but herself in the small kitchen. Annoyed she went back to the task at hand. Chopping green peppers, she shook her head in denial. How could she be jealous of Rem?

Laughter exploded in her head. The taunting voice that oddly sounded familiar laughed even more. /Oh, but you do envy, you envy the way Vash's eyes sparkle whenever he speaks about her. When his features soften, and his voice becomes smooth as silk. /

Meryl denied it, because it wasn't true. It wasn't. Right?

/ You lie poorly. You know that. /

"I am not lying!" The words blurted out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Only more laughter ensued. "Stop that!" Meryl grabbed her head in pain; the laughter was loud and throbbing. Then it stopped: Just as quickly it stopped.

Gasping for breath Meryl kept saying it was all in her head, which it was of course. And found herself silly arguing with herself. Her head bowed; sweat dripping from her face, one hand in her dark hair, with the other grasping the counter. It was the heat that made her delusional; she comforted herself, just the heat.

She looked up fast, when hearing the doorbell. Meryl stopped for a minute trying to compose herself and clearing imaginary dust from her shirt she went to answer the door.

"Yes."

A man in his near fifties, with a gray uniform held a small plain box. "A package for Miss. Meryl."

"Yes this is she."

"Signed her please." Meryl signed the papers given to her and returned it the deliveryman. The man gave her the box and quickly went to his car. Back to where the fresh cool air his car provided.

Closing the door, Meryl curiously turned the box over. It was simple and plain, with a single card attach to it. It was weird that someone would send her a package all the way here. She picked up the card, and open it to read it contents.

_I'm still waiting for you, I still love you…remember our promise...remember…_

The card silently floated to the floor. With the remaining will power she had, Meryl untied the ribbon and stripped the brown paper. And there it was, Meryl thought. Tears brimming in her eyes. So perfect and untouched, so……..beautiful. A ring made of 18K White Gold with side stones settings of purple, and in the middle a diamond that shined as it meant to for all eternity. It was the engagement ring that…that…automatically she clutch the chain that hang around her neck.

Right in the middle of the chain a simple wedding band was dangling. The memories rushed as speeding trains. Opposite sides of the tracks ready to meet in a clashing experience. When the trains met, with the same ferocity, her mind went blank.


End file.
